GHENT, Belgium — Problems with food security have been previously linked to climate change, but now researchers have found that food safety might also be a concern.
In a study published in the journal Food Research International, researchers from Ghent University and Wageningen University have discovered a relationship between food contamination in fruits and vegetables and long-term changes in rainfall and temperature. With the climate continuously changing, will it be possible to continue to safely consume fruits and vegetables? This is what the researchers sought to answer with the study.
How can climate change affect food security? Take flooding, for instance. Areas subjected to more floods because of changes in the climate see higher concentrations of dangerous bacteria thriving in fruits and vegetables. The bacteria may be eradicated by sunlight, but exposure is uncertain because of erratic weather. In another scenario, hotter temperatures that result from global warming may give rise to toxic fungi that flourish in warmer weather.
In the study, researchers brought together latest scientific findings and information about how climate change can affect food safety. The journal issue it was published in also includes papers financed by the European Union for the Veg-i-Trade project.
These studies represent some of the first to tackle the relationship between the changing climate and food safety and researchers are of the belief that further investigation into the issue is necessary to expand on the work they have already done. The researchers added that as more scenarios are analyzed, the clearer the picture will be regarding how climate change can influence food safety.